The castle is probably top of my list, but this beautiful Jubilee fountain (pictured above) was inspired by the Queen’s crown jewels and constructed to celebrate Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.  And so here we are, 10 years on and about to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee next month!  There’s a definite buzz around Windsor with celebrations planned for the 2^nd and 3^rd June – street parties, fireworks, river trips and more – but at QVC we’re one step ahead with a very busy and exciting four-day event starting this Saturday.  As someone who is invariably chasing my tail, being ahead of the game is an enviable position to be in, but all that is hopefully about to change – I’ll tell you more in a moment.

Firstly, thank you for your kind birthday wishes for my granddaughter Honey who was seven years on the 6^th May.  I drove up in time to collect her from school and then we went to the local carvery for her birthday tea but saved her cake until we got home.

Lucy had suggested I make ‘Pickle’, a Pokemon character for her, and luckily she was delighted!  It was actually one of the tastiest chocolate sponges I’ve made as I swapped out the caster sugar and replaced half of it with muscovado – of course, all mixed in my KitchenAid.  I think I’ve only missed making one birthday cake out of the last seven, and it’s a lovely thing to be able to do for her.

Honey’s proper party with her school friends was on Saturday when Colin and I looked after our youngest grandson Corey (who’s just turned one) and his seven-year-old brother Rhys.  We had such a lovely time, playing football, feeding the ducks and generally pottering about. It gave Joe and Hayley a day out at Ascot too, so definitely a win win situation!

I had a very belated celebration of my own too – a dance lesson with the Strictly Come Dancing star Ian Waite that my friend Jo bought for me for my 60^th birthday present. What with the pandemic and then Ian’s various TV and touring obligations I’d not been able to book in with him until now, but my salsa lesson last week was amazing! I’ve always been an avid fan of the TV series for years so this was literally a dream come true.  Mind you, I’d not got a clue what to do, but Ian made it so easy.  Not only is he a fantastic dancer, teaching me the routine in less than 40 minutes but he is also charismatic, friendly and a very genuine man.

I have the memory forever on film and you can find it on my Instagram page @alikeenan1 if you fancy a watch?  I was too nervous to look up and away from my feet, but you’ll get the general idea! When I was younger and fitter it was always my dream to be on Strictly but this was definitely the next best thing.  Just magical.

I’ve digressed, and I really do need to tell you about this very special four-day event at QVC that runs from Saturday 14^th May and finishes just before midnight on Tuesday 17^th May.  There’ll be a ‘Summer Garden Celebration’ over the weekend, and then our ‘Looks to Celebrate’ event for the following two days with FOUR EASY PAYMENTS ON EVERYTHING – including clearance and sale items too! So let’s celebrate summer together with everything you need for the home, the garden and yourself! Maybe you’re planning a weekend get-together or a Jubilee street party?  If so, we’ve got food, lighting, BBQs and fire pits – everything you could possibly need to get your space ready for all manner of feasts and fiestas!

If you bought our Ninja Dual Zone Air Fryer you’ll know I’m a huge fan of this brand so I’m delighted to be launching the Ninja Creami Ice Cream and Dessert maker with Gail Samways at 9pm on Saturday 14^th.  This incredible machine makes ice cream, gelato (which is denser than ice cream), sorbets, milkshakes and frozen yoghurts. Plus, with five tubs to enable you to pre-freeze and prepare ahead of time, you can make up to 2.25l of frozen desserts! I paid £3.80 for a single scoop of ice cream in a cone at the weekend and I wasn’t sure exactly what was in it either! Buy this and you can create your own desserts, your way with YOUR ingredients.  So, if you prefer soya or oat milk, maybe skimmed or full fat, or if your choice is dairy-free, low sugar, keto or vegan, you take control.

You can create a much healthier dessert by adding fresh fruits, your favourite ingredients, and no artificial flavours, and it may be possible to get the fussier ones in the family to drink milk or eat eggs when they’re disguised! Fill the tub with your ingredients and freeze for 24 hours then process it within minutes!  Join Gail and me at 9pm and then again at midnight and we’ll show you how. We also have a fabulous stand mixer from Cooks Essential’s if you fancy making other desserts, and a 22L multi-oven incorporating an air fryer and a rotisserie – perfect for cooking your party food in half the time.

But, you can also order ahead of the street parties from the fabulous range of food we have on offer. If you don’t fancy baking your own cakes then let The Baking Boys do it for you! They bake tarts too, but if you want muffins then The Original Cake Company are already on it and will be spoiling us with their 18-piece British cake selection too. Chunk of Devon will be providing the pies and the 6’O Clock Gin Company will have the alcohol and mixers. Remember everything will be available on 4 Easy Payments too! I might see if I can sample the gin before I’m with you at 11pm for an hour of DIY when we’ve got a brilliant lawn scarifier from Darlac, the Sport-Brella Premiere umbrella (I bought two for the grandchildren) and an aluminium folding ladder with a platform from Buildcraft – perfect for hanging your bunting!

But before you do that, or send out your invites and bake your cakes, maybe have a think about refreshing your wardrobe and stocking up on beauty supplies ahead of the two day Bank Holiday? On Monday and Tuesday, we move into our ‘Looks to Celebrate’ event. Bearing in mind it’s going to be a mighty Platinum Jubilee, we thought you might like to treat yourself to something new for what is bound to be one of the most photographed events in some years. We have a whole raft of your favourite fashion labels, headlining with DuJour and a stunning Wrap Front Printed Maxi Dress in both regular and petite lengths. It’s our Today’s Special Value on Sunday at 9pm so if you can see yourself in this beautiful print and bold colours, then I’ll be with you at midnight after an hour featuring another one of our original fashion ranges – Denim and Co. Also featuring across the two days are White Stuff, Masai Clothing Copenhagen, Wynne Layers Fashion, Moda in Pelle, Monsoon, Ruth Langsford Fashion, Skechers and Kim and Co. Many of these brands you won’t find anywhere else but with us – online and on-air!

The same will apply to all the beauty brands showcasing their very best offers in skincare, nailcare, and tanning products. You’ll find everything and more on our website QVCUK.com and remember, EVERYTHING including clearance items are on four Easy Payments across the entire four0day event! Phew! It’s a lot to look forward to and it’s been months in the planning, but we’ve got something for everyone and I know you’re going to enjoy it.

And so, to my final bit of news…

The midnight show on Sunday will be the last one I present at the Q for a while as I’m taking some time away from work. As you probably gathered from my last blog, I’m finding everything is taking so much more effort than it used to and so this three-month sabbatical will give me the time I need to recharge and regenerate and hopefully return rejuvenated! Colin and I also hope to get away for a while – he needs a break from the building work too – and then we plan to spend more time with the family over the summer.

Sadly, it means that there won’t be another blog for a few months or more but I’m sure I’ll post up a few photos on Instagram or Facebook over that time if you’d like to follow me and keep in touch? In the meantime, thank you SO much for your continued support and kindness over the years. It means more than you know. Take care and “au revoir”.

With my love,

Ali xx

The post A four day, four Easy Pay event and a fond farewell… for now appeared first on Stories.

I’ve had some fabulous walks over this last week, and it’s staggering the difference the warmer weather and sunshine have made to the countryside. The fields I walk alongside were sewn with crops a month ago and already the wheat is knee-high! It’s been a fabulous year for blossom too – look at the hawthorn here and the bluebells I visited near Guildford the other day. These are the original British bluebells, not the Dutch ones we see so many of, and the blue is closer to the beautiful gemstone AAAA Tanzanite! Such a subtle scent too.

I feel very lucky to live so close to so much open space as walking has always been my way of escaping the world for a bit and relaxing too. Of course, it also gives me a chance to listen to my audiobooks, and the latest one I’ve just finished was magnificent. Read by the award-winning Irish actor Niall Buggy whose dulcet tones brought Maurice’s world to life. “When All is Said” by Anne Griffin is the most beautiful story of one man’s lifetime, all those he has loved, and all those he has lost. I would highly recommend it, and I enjoyed it so much I’ve just downloaded Anne’s second novel “ Listening Still”. What are you reading/listening to at the moment? I love a recommendation

Let’s talk TV

I must also mention the ITV series Julia which is a brilliant portrayal of the first TV chef Julia Child and stars Sarah Lancashire who has captured the very essence of this remarkable woman brilliantly. We watched the first three episodes back-to-back – engaging, entertaining and a real insight into how the world of TV works behind the scenes. Mercifully we’ve come a long way since then!

I’m also enjoying All Creatures Great and Small – the newer remake of James Herriott’s bestselling book It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet. Funny to think I worked for the publisher, Michael Joseph, when it was marketed and was lucky enough to meet the author – a lovely man.

I’m very excited to be going back to the Harold Pinter Theatre this week to see the incredible actor Jodie Comer in Prima Facia – a one-woman play about a barrister. She’s received standing ovations every night and it’s only a short run so I’ll let you know what I thought of it. Another female actor I think is fabulous is Ruth Wilson, and I saw her at the same theatre last month in “The Human Voice” – a play by Jean Cocteau. Ruth was outstanding but I can’t honestly say I enjoyed it that much as I felt there was too much missing within the backstory. I wanted to know more about the character and her backstory, so for me, it was more like watching an acting masterclass with Ms Wilson, who was superb.

A trip to the theatre

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you will have seen my photos from last week’s theatre visit to see Frozen in the West End with my beautiful granddaughter Honey.  We travelled by train – well three trains there and three back – had lunch in Covent Garden, and thoroughly enjoyed the musical, which was epic!

Lucy was happy for me to share these pictures and suffice to say we just had the best time.  She stayed with Colin and I for two nights and was such great company and I’m looking forward to seeing her next week when she celebrates her 7th birthday!  Can you believe it?  I remember the day she was born as if it was yesterday – she has brought so much joy into our lives, and I cherish our relationship.

May is another busy month for birthdays with my sister’s partner Linda’s on the 4^th, Honey on the 6^th, my niece Verity on the 17^th, my goddaughter Phoebe on the 20^th, my stepson’s partner Hayley’s on the 26th, Colin’s 60^th on the 30^th and Sam’s girlfriend Elise on the 31^st!  So, there will be a fair few celebrations on the horizon for the family to look forward to – maybe a BBQ if the weather gets a little warmer!  And of course, there’s the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee to celebrate too – are you having a street party?

Let’s talk TSVs

I had a lovely hour with Simon Wilson and his incredible collection of Butler & Wilson jewellery on Tuesday at QVC. Not sure if you saw the show but he’d designed four new pieces of jewellery to commemorate our Majesty’s 70 years on the throne and they pretty much all sold out!

I’m sure it’ll be busy on the 3rd May too when we have a four-hour Diamonique jewellery event that begins at 5pm, features the lovely Tova Borgnine collection, and finishes with my show at 8pm. Do join me if you can.

Something else I wanted to give you a heads up on is a MarlaWynne TSV this Sunday that is part of our Discover QVC event. Marla’s fashion range is only available from us and she’s designed a loose-fit, sleeveless, wide-leg jumpsuit – it’s even got pockets! Her attention to detail, use of colour and exquisite styling are evident in this outfit, and at an amazing price, I’m certain it’s going to be popular. It’s available in three beautiful blurred prints – indigo, black and sage, and also in plain black and indigo and Melissa Hardy will be with me at 9pm with styling tips and suggestions too.

News also from a relative newcomer to QVC, the footwear brand BOnova. As we no longer carry Birkenstock, these are the closest thing to that kind of styling in footwear with the natural cork and rubber footbed and arch support. The Snake Double Strap sandal we have as a TSV on the 5th May is exclusive to us and comes in five chic designs – two marvellous metallics in the silver and rose and a blue and gold snake, tan, and white snake option. I’m sure they’d work really well with Marla’s jumpsuit – perfectly placed as we move into the warmer months of the year.

Well, I think that’s all my news for now but I hope you enjoy reading and do get in touch if you get a moment, as it’s always good to hear from you.

With my love,

Ali xx

The post BOnova, more birthdays and beautiful bluebells appeared first on Stories.

So sorry it’s been a while since I’ve been able to catch up with you.  There seems to be so much going on at home and at work that, to be honest, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed, so it’s good to be able to look back over my last few blogs to remind myself that in March we were celebrating several birthdays and since then we have celebrated seven more!

Possibly the most notable was Colin’s mum Kathleen who was 101 years old on the 4^th April! Quite incredible that she is still able to walk, was able to just about hear us and talk to us, read all her birthday cards out loud and enjoy her cake. She didn’t truly know who we were individually but recognised us as people who loved her and thoroughly enjoyed herself.  She moved from her sheltered accommodation to this lovely nursing home six months ago and the difference it has made to her life is remarkable. Here’s to the next year.

Our youngest grandson Corey celebrated his first birthday on the 31^st March and most of us managed to get together to celebrate with Joe, Hayley, Rhys and Corey.  I thought you might like to see some of the photographs.  Corey is such a joy, always smiling, happy and content and an absolute credit to Hayley and Joe.  His brother Rhys is great with him too – amazing to think Kathleen is 100 years older than Corey, but wonderful to see the circle of life continuing within our family.

Spring has finally sprung

Hasn’t it been lovely to see an improvement in the weather? I’ve managed to get quite a few walks in recently. I met up with Claire Sutton and we managed to do a 6K circuit in Hertfordshire with her lovely dog Gus. It was great to catch up and she’s doing so brilliantly in her work as a celebrant.  I also had a lovely day with Kathy Tayler although the weather on that day couldn’t have been worse! It was pretty great to start with but then it actually snowed. Thank heavens we were both well covered and warm. Not much snow in Corfu which is where she was headed the last time I spoke to her but we’re hoping to meet up again at some point later in the summer.

I managed to prise Colin away from the renovations here at home and we had a fabulous night away with our friends Roz and Chris in Poole, Dorset where we saw the tribute band Rumours of Fleetwood Mac who to be honest sounded as good as the real thing!  We all love a bit of live music and thought the Lighthouse venue was magnificent.  Having stayed overnight we were then blessed with the most beautiful weather on Saturday so we spent the day at the coast. Me in my happy place.

The house is coming along well and Colin put in all the underfloor heating himself and is starting work on the wiring and plumbing for upstairs next week.  It’s wonderful to see the progress but we’re both finding it quite stressful living amongst all the dirt and dust, so walking and time away is perfect and I know we’re lucky to be able to do both.

I’ve been trying to be more mindful and listen to my body, and having felt more tired than usual, I did speak to Roz who has a nursing background, and on her advice, I made a much overdue visit to see my oncologist to check out a few niggles, particularly in my back and my bones. Luckily the MRI scan showed no spread of cancer but I have got significant degeneration of the spine and several discs. I need to get on top of this otherwise I’ll find in my mid-60s I’m not able to do very much at all!  I have osteoporosis too and am waiting for my DEXA scan – fingers crossed that it hasn’t worsened over the last two years.

Something else I’m looking into is the possibility of taking HRT as my menopausal symptoms continue into their 11^th year! I’m sure you’ve seen me on air at QVC fanning myself or suddenly looking the colour of beetroot! Because my breast cancer was hormone receptive, HRT is not something that’s been available to me but there’s been a breakthrough recently and I am hoping to become part of a trial to find out if it would be safe for me to use. That’s thanks to Pipa Gordon who told me about Dr Louise Newson and her clinic and suggested I get in touch. I’ll let you know how I get on.

It seems we’re all different in how menopause affects us, and I know some folk sail through it, but I am glad that it’s no longer a taboo subject as the more we talk about it, the more we learn.  I chatted to my sister Jenny about it when we climbed once more to the top of Old Winchester Hill on Good Friday.  The weather was sublime, and the view even better than the last time and we rewarded ourselves with a delicious pub lunch – it’s always good to spend time together.

Let’s talk TV

I did want to tell you about a film I watched with Colin called “I Got Life”.  It’s a French film on BBC iPlayer, about a 50-year old divorced woman who is menopausal, struggling with her life and her job, has two adult daughters and suddenly bumps into her first love. I know it doesn’t sound like a barrel of laughs, and I had to get my head around the subtitles initially, but we absolutely loved it. It was easy to watch, funny, sad, poignant but essentially happy and uplifting. I would highly recommend it.  Equally entertaining but in a completely different way is the spectacular BBC TV drama The Split. All I’m going to say is if you haven’t seen it you need to!  This is series 3 so I’d suggest you go back and watch the first two – you will not be disappointed.

Let’s talk TSVs

Something else you won’t be disappointed with is our TSV on the 23^rd April.  It’s the Ninja Dual Zone Air Fryer Max.  An ingenious piece of kitchen equipment that allows you to cook two different foods in two different ways at the same time with the two drawers!  You can use six different cooking methods including air frying, crisping, roasting, baking and warming and the time it will save you along with electricity is astounding.  It is simple to use with a clear digital display and having never tried it before, I managed to cook roast lamb with roast potatoes in 22 minutes as it’s up to 75% faster than most fan ovens.

Presenter Alison Keenan tests the Ninja Dual Zone Air Fryer Max

Alison tries out the upcoming Ninja Dual Zone Air Fryer Max 9.5L AF400UK Today’s Special Value offer

I was stunned by the results and the lack of faff!  The fact you can set everything off at the same time so it all finishes together is a perfect way to make a roast – so much easier than the time plans we used to have to write when I was at school! It is healthier too, using 75% less fat when it roasts meat, fish and vegetables, crisp fries chips and potatoes, and you can bake in it and reheat things too. You can fit a whole chicken in it and make meals for up to six people. Better still, it’s the perfect size to tuck away tidily on the worktop and will save not just time but also money compared to using a normal oven/hob/cooker.  If you fancy giving it a go you’ll be able to spread the cost in Easy Payments and you get your 60-day money back guarantee.  I reckon once you try it, you’ll be a convert like me.

We had a cracking Easter Bank Holiday weekend at QVC with some amazing deals on garden plants and furniture. Just in case you missed them, these Gudoshnik Tulips from Plants2Gardens are still available -30 bulbs for under £18 and look at the size of the blooms in my garden!  Have a look on our garden and leisure department to see what else is available and don’t forget our regular gardening shows every Saturday and Sunday morning.

Thanks for all your lovely comments on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and for keeping in touch – I look forward to hearing from you here on the blog too.  Oh, and if you haven’t heard, we are giving you the chance to be part of one of our shows. I had lovely Kathryn Stewart with me for my hour-long Diamonique show just the week before last and it was terrific to share her passion for jewellery but also learn a bit about her life. Linda George was also a guest over the weekend and you can be too if you send us an email your-stories@qvcuk and tell us what you love.  I hope I get to meet you one day soon.  I also hope you’ve enjoyed Easter, are in good health and maybe have a holiday to look forward to.

Take care,

With my love,

Ali xx

The post Family celebrations and home renovations appeared first on Stories.

Sometimes all I need is a walk, time to feel space around me and the sunshine on my shoulders, but perhaps it’s a bit of pampering that appeals to you and the chance to treat yourself to some serious skincare at an amazing price? If that’s the case, we have a six-piece top-to-toe Elemis Pro-Collagen Anti-Ageing Performance Collection TSV ALREADY available online, prior to its launch this Saturday 2nd April at 9pm!

The price is astonishing, saving you £148.55 on the full value of £220.50 and including a full size of the Omega Rich Cleansing Oil, the Papaya Enzyme Peel, full size of the Advanced Eye Treatment AND…. a fanfare as we introduce the brand new Pro-Collagen Morning Matrix! For the body you get a choice of fragrance in the Bath and Shower Milk and Body Cream – either Warm Tonka that is sensual, enveloping and comforting or the invigorating Sea Lavender and Samphire – a sea-swept, marine-inspired fragrance. All this plus a fabulous tote bag! And you can spread the cost in five monthly interest-free instalments!

But let’s rewind a moment, and focus on the star of the collection, the Pro-Collagen Morning Matrix. I’ll never forget 20 years ago, Keeley Aydin introduced us to Elemis’s Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. The inclusion of their unique ingredient, the marine algae Padina Pavonica produced results that were groundbreaking! Incredibly efficient at targeting not just those first signs of ageing but the more established markers of time, it encouraged so many more of us to introduce it into our skincare routine. You didn’t need to be a marine biologist to appreciate the science behind it, you just had to use it and enjoy the results.

So imagine the anticipation surrounding the Pro-Collagen Morning Matrix! It includes a brand-new Padina Pavonica ferment that has been grown exclusively for Elemis. It’s a powerful active ingredient and a known antidote for tired and stressed skin. Heaven knows we’ve all been under an inordinate amount of stress over the last couple of years, not just post-Covid but also more screen time for many of us working from home. This is taking Pro-Collagen to the next level and there’s a three-month supply here plus a 60-day money back guarantee – plenty of time for you to see if these actives will soften the appearance of those fine lines and wrinkles. It smells delightful too with the same aromatics you enjoyed in the Overnight Matrix.

Why not spoil yourself this spring; revitalize, moisturise and help to visibly plump the skin with this six-piece collection? And if you know this is just what your body needs then you can have the same collection delivered at the same price in 60 days’ time if you use our Auto Delivery option.

Ali X

The post Experience the wonders of Elemis appeared first on Stories.

When I was a child I could never keep a secret – and I still find it pretty tough – but my entire family and several friends were part of one of the best-kept secrets ever! A mightily delayed 60th birthday party that happened last weekend and was the brainchild of my eldest, Lucy, came as a total surprise to me and I’ve got loads of photos to share, and will explain all in just a moment.

March is a busy month for birthdays in our family, so it wasn’t the only get together, but it was the most meticulously organised! However, before I tell you, I did want to thank you for your kind birthday wishes and the lovely response to my updated profile photo that I posted on Instagram and Facebook. I hadn’t realised it’s been almost 5 years since the last photo was published and it definitely needed an update.

Rachael Avent, who is one of our exceptionally talented makeup artists from The Makeup Junkies Agency had only recently had a long conversation with me about how our make-up needs change as we age, and so I was thrilled when she swapped out the usual black eyeliner for a metallic brown and softened the lip colour too. I had a few comments from folk suggesting I’d ‘had work done’ but I can assure the only ‘work’ carried out was by Rachael, with her innate understanding of how to create a more youthful complexion. And I for one was very grateful! Maybe I should get her to give us a few tips on another day? “Make-up for the more mature woman?” What do you think?

I’m going to stay with reasons to celebrate and my rapidly approaching 62nd birthday is the first I’ve had outside of a lockdown for the last two years and was amazing, thanks to my daughter Lucy. She had actually started organising it in September last year and had booked a huge Airbnb property that would cater for all the guests – pretty much all the family and my closest friends! To make certain I was free she’d asked me to look after Honey that weekend as she said she would be working and so it was carved in stone. Everyone planned to bring food with them and Lucy had organized games and events; there was even a cinema room and all sorts, none of which I had a clue about. And then, just three weeks before it was all going to happen, the people who owned the Airbnb decided they didn’t want to rent it out anymore and left poor Lucy with a major problem!

Ever resourceful, in spite of the fact she works from home five days a week in an incredibly stressful job and is a single mum to Honey, she managed to find an alternative venue and on Saturday afternoon when my son Sam picked Colin and I up in his car, I thought we were getting together with Lucy and Jack for a celebratory meal. However, Sam drove us to the Coppid Beech Hotel in Berkshire, where unbeknown to me ALL the children and grandchildren (with the exception of Lily who is still in Sydney) were waiting for me! Our lovely friends Roz and Chris had come all the way from Dorset too and my sister Jenny, with Linda and my niece Emily arrived a little later.

The children had booked us all into the hotel for the night, so I was wined and dined, presented with gifts, balloons and the most beautiful cake, and after eating a fab meal and getting the grandchildren into bed, we all spent the night dancing to a terrific 70s band! We had a ball, as you can see from the photos, and it was so good to be with everyone, to laugh together, dance, chat and catch up. It re-affirmed to me just how fortunate I am to have such a caring bunch of people in my life, and it’s a birthday I will never forget.

As I mentioned, March is a busy month for birthdays. Not just mine, but also my godmother Edna – who was 84 on the 7th – and my son Sam, who turned 33 on the 10th March. I visited Edna at the beautiful retirement village where she lives, made her a tiny wee cake and took her out to lunch to celebrate. She and her late husband Ian were great friends of my mum and dad and I truly value our relationship. Lockdown was really tough when we couldn’t see each other, so I’m trying to make up for lost time now.

Then it was Sam’s special day, and he had a get-together with his mates on the Thursday but we all met up for a game of indoor crazy golf on Sunday when I was able to give him the chocolate cake I’d been promising to make for the previous two years! He’s an avid Land Rover off-roader and really appreciated my creation.

Of course, it was mid-February when I last posted a general blog and I’m so glad to tell you that Colin and I finally managed to visit my mum’s partner Joe, who moved to Norfolk after mum died. Having settled him into his new home we hit another lockdown, and what with that and ill health we’ve not seen him for ages. It was a relief to find him happy and content in his bungalow and we had a great time going over old memories with him.

He keeps all his photo albums out and also a little slide projector so he doesn’t forget who we all are as his memory is far less accurate than it used to be. We were able to sort his garden out, mend a few bits in the kitchen, and take him out for Sunday lunch too. We’ve promised to get back there in May, house renovations allowing! Colin is doing a great job but we have a long way to go yet and so it was good for him to have a break for a couple of days.

Of course in between all this socialising I’ve been at QVC Towers and thoroughly enjoyed some really busy shows! Dannii Minogue’s TSV was a great success, as was the Elemis four piece pro-collagen collection. Incredible value for money and fabulous improvement in our skin’s appearance and health according to the many five star reviews! Another product that is a personal favourite of mine is Gatineau’s Golden Glow – a terrific tanning lotion that is a hydrating gel-cream formula and looks 100% realistic! I use it twice a week once I get a tan to maintain the colour, but as I’ve not had any winter sun this year I’ve started using it every other day to give my skin that same sun-kissed look! Imagine my delight when I heard through the grapevine that we’re going to have a full litre megasize coming in May – I won’t know myself!

Staying with beauty, and something else to watch out for towards the end of this month is a TSV from the bestselling hair care brand, Tweak’d by Nature. Denis Simioni has put together another cracking collection of his innovative cleansing and hydrating haircare products that are suitable for ALL hair types and I will be with him on the 28th March at 9pm to let you know what it is!

In between now and then we have a 24 hour home event, some thing special from bed brand Sealy, a whole hour dedicated to platinum-plated Diamonique on my Tuesday show, and a new season fashion event too. There’s always something to look out for and if you follow me, I promise I’ll keep you in touch with it all on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Stay safe and well and thank you for staying with me.

With my love,

Ali xxxx

The post Gatineau Golden Glow, gardening and the best kept secret! appeared first on Stories.

I met Tova many years ago when she presented her fragrances and Cactine Skincare range on QVC. She independently bought the world shipping rights to the skincare brand, taking a huge gamble that paid off. Not only was she astute in business, I thought she was one of the most beautiful women I’d ever met. She was then the same age I am now and quite honestly, I don’t think she changed at all over the years.

Always immaculately dressed, beautifully coiffured, and agelessly elegant, she brought more than a touch of Hollywood glamour to our Battersea studios, and in spite of the long haul flights and subsequent jet lag she was always full of sparkle and energy. That inimitable sparkle was added to a stunning range of Diamonique jewellery that she designed, each piece lovingly recreating her own collection that had been gifted to her by her Hollywood actor husband Ernest Borgnine. Presenting these shows with Tova were some of my all-time favourite hours on QVC.

She always took time out to talk to everyone; other guests, backstage and broadcasting staff – she was interested in us all, our lives, our families, and our work.

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer she contacted me, confiding in me that previously she had been treated for the disease and had survived it. She told me I would too, regularly writing to me and sending me supportive literature and CDs, which helped me more than she will ever know.

Over the following years, I met with Tova and her business partner Linda whenever she was in the UK, sometimes getting the chance to share a meal after a show, or just have a catch up in her dressing room. I loved listening to her soft warm voice telling me of her life in Beverley Hills, her ongoing work with the jewellery designs, and stories of her life with Ernie. When after 40 years of marriage, she lost him, I was fortunate enough to be able to give back a little of the same love and support she had always given me. And in spite of that loss, she continued working, more determined than ever to keep going.

She celebrated with me when my first grandchild was born, comforted me when my mother died, and complimented me on the publication of my first book. The fact that she continued her visits to QVC UK, Germany and Italy throughout her 70s was a testament to her strength and tenacity, and I know she found it deeply frustrating when Covid put a stop to her travelling. She missed the performance, the storytelling, the interaction with her loyal ‘Tovettes’, but most of all she missed being with people. Never one to be deterred, she set herself up with a home-based studio and continued to work with us remotely. I can tell you, it’s not easy presenting a show when you are working solely to camera and yet she was a consummate professional.

As I approach my 62nd birthday, I sometimes catch myself having a moan about getting older and then I think of Tova. Beautiful, graceful, elegant, witty, hardworking and fiercely loyal to those she loved. She never complained and she NEVER mentioned her age. She was, and always will be forever young, and I am so grateful for the memories and the amazing legacy she has left us. The world was a better place for having Tova Borgnine in it.

With my love,

Ali X

This month, we’re also celebrating Inspirational Women’s Month and welcome you to take a look at the many fantastic, female-founded and led fashion brands we are proud to partner with here.

The post A tribute to Tova Borgnine appeared first on Stories.

It’s actually warmer outside than it is indoors today! 14 degrees in the garden, but pouring with rain, whereas indoors it’s a lot chillier, dry and VERY dusty! The renovations are continuing and Colin has now started work on upstairs as well as downstairs, so we are literally living in the kitchen with the upstairs bathroom and back bedroom! I’m actually really rather enjoying the fact it’s quite compact and cosy – well it was until the heating packed up on Sunday and now we are relying on our Dyson fan and a plug-in radiator to bring the temperatures up. The new heating system will run off a completely different set up so we’re not too worried, and as you’ll see from the photographs, progress is definitely being made and so far we’re pretty much on course time-wise. The wall is now down between the bathroom and the bedroom and everything apart from the loo has been removed. We currently have a bath on our driveway but are hoping that someone will want to come and take it away! : )

Obviously to enable Colin to crack on with the rooms upstairs I had to systematically go through each room and decide what to keep and what to throw which wasn’t always that easy! However, Oxfam, Macmillan, Marie Curie and the Thames Hospice have all benefitted and I personally feel ‘de-cluttered’ which is good! It’s definitely better than I felt just after I posted my last blog. Unfortunately having been bending, lifting, stretching and painting a ceiling in the upstairs bathroom, I put my back out, and everything I’d had planned for the remainder of my leave had to be either postponed or performed with gritted teeth and a fair few pain killers! It’s a great deal more comfortable now though and thanks to Caroline Sandry, whom you may remember as one of our fitness guests, I am doing gentle exercise every day to try and keep it in check.

Apparently I’m ‘hypermobile’ which is a great thing when one is younger but not so beneficial now. What with osteoporosis and arthritis I’m feeling older than I’d like but am determined to try and help myself. I’ve been taking the Prime Fifty Fighting Fatigue supplements for several months and they definitely help with working late nights, but I’ve also just started to take the Your Zooki Tropical Hair, Nails and Skin supplement so I’ll let you know how I get on with that – I can tell you it tastes delicious! : )“Age is just a number” said Joan Collins with the rider “Unless of course you happen to be a bottle of wine!” which made me laugh. As someone who eleven years ago wasn’t sure I’d even hit 60 years old, every day is a blessing and having recently celebrated International Cancer Day on the 4^th February I know I’m not alone in that thought.

Before I returned to work though Colin and I had our long-awaited and twice postponed meet up with our dear friends Roz and Chris who live in Dorset. Clutching their Christmas presents, complete with pine needles from the tree under which they’d sat for several months, we made our way to The Crown Inn in Upton where Chris had booked us into a “Higloo” so that we could belatedly celebrate Christmas in style! Located half way between Highclere Castle and Andover, the Crown Inn’s location is fantastic as is the pub itself, but set into the grounds are two of these fabulous ‘Higloos’, built from wood with a log burner set inside, our one seated the four of us very comfortably.

We were given rugs and cushions and were treated to a stunning meal created by chef and owner Dave Watts who trained with none other than Raymond Blanc! The hours slipped by and it was so good to catch up with Roz and Chris who are just the best company. We were so caught up with our conversation that we completely forgot to take any photographs of the day, so I’ve managed to capture this little film from the pub’s website to give you an idea of what it was like and to capture some of the magic and I also have this lovely photo of Roz and Chris too.  I’d highly recommend The Crown Inn to anyone who wants to make a lunch or dinner occasion extra special.

– YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

After that it was back to work and straight into QVC’s Spring Sale hours which were very busy and included everything from a Ruth Langsford’s Fashion TSV to magnificent offers on make-up with Tarte and Bareminerals plus bedding from Cozee Home and Silentnight and of course everything in between!

Because of the weird and wonderful hours that we keep, Colin and I have barely seen each other recently, with him working in the bomb site that used to be downstairs and me working at QVC and packing up the rest of the house, so it was a real treat to celebrate Valentine’s Day early on the Sunday rather than Monday. He’d booked lunch for us (pictured above) at one our favourite haunts – The Boisdale in Victoria. It’s a long-established jazz club where they feature all kinds of fantastic artists and what with the delicious menu, beautiful paintings and fab décor we had a wonderful and romantic afternoon.

Back to work on Tuesday with Australian Bodycare, Diamonique and Orly Nailcare – three hours that were fast and furious – followed by a few days off until my return on Saturday with something pretty spectacular!

Now that restrictions have been lifted many more of us are heading out and away from home, so there’s never been a better time to make certain we can connect with what’s happening at home no matter where we are. Blink are an amazing company who bring us the next generation of Smart Home Security Cameras AND – new to QVC – floodlights too, with a system that is is an absolute doddle to set up. The camera will provide you with a live view, two-way audio, customisable motion detectors,  long-lasting battery life – two years on the camera and 12 months on the floodlight – and with the app downloaded on your smart device, you can be alerted at ANY time should the unexpected occur. We have an exceptional price for a limited time only with a saving of £85 based on buying directly from Amazon. So whether it’s your own property, or the home of someone you’re concerned about, please make sure you tune in for one of our shows where we will be demonstrating how effective the Blink Home Security System is. I’m launching it on Sunday the 20^th February at 9pm so I hope you can join me.

Now that they have lifted the restrictions on the M4 I no longer have to struggle with so many road closures so returning to work has given me the chance to continue listening to my audible books. I thoroughly enjoyed a beautiful book written by a Swiss author, originally published in 2014, entitled “A Man Called Ove”.  If you watched the very dark comedy written and directed by Ricky Gervais who also starred in it – After Life – I think you may enjoy this. It was originally published in 2014 and then only available in the Swiss language but it was translated two years ago and has become a bestseller! At some points I struggled with the key character and his idiosyncrasies, but there were many points where the storylines and the writing really challenged me and truly touched me. It is a story of despair, acceptance, and ultimately hope and I felt it was a beautiful novel and would definitely recommend it.

Thank you SO much for your recommendations regarding books and TV dramas and  – my guilty pleasure! I am totally addicted to Trigger Point and love the fact we can’t stream it but have to wait for each episode : ) Vicky McClure – what a talent! I so wish they’d bring back another series of “Line of Duty”! I am also enjoying The Gilded Age – written by Julian Fellowes who wrote Downton Abbey. This is a drama that is equally true to its history and portrayal of time and place. The costumes and backdrops are exquisite, so if you enjoy the opportunity to delve back into the past I can promise you, you’ll enjoy this.

Please do feel free to recommend anything you are watching or reading, as it’s great to share : ).  Thank you so much for keeping in touch and for giving me a little window into your world. Take care, stay well and I hope to hear from you soon.

With my love,

Ali xx

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Thanks for getting in touch and for keeping me up to date with all that goes on in your world. So many things affect so many of us and the situation these last two years has put all of us under pressure in ways we would never have envisaged, but it’s always comforting to know that somehow we manage to muddle through. Sharing our news here is always a great leveller I find!

I’m writing this in the back bedroom of the house as that’s where my desk will be until tomorrow when Colin’s moving it into his studio – well a corner of his studio – so at least I’ll have somewhere temporarily to put the computer safely and continue working. One of the main reasons for the refurb is because we have a faulty electrical system and plumbing that only works in half the house!

Consequently, in addition to the ceilings being down in the sitting and dining rooms, we also have the floors up in two of the rooms upstairs to feed the new plumbing through! There’s been sawdust and general grime everywhere and it’s been quite a struggle trying to keep the two rooms we’re living in clean and tidy! Thank heavens I invested in the H20 Steam Mop a while back and more recently the Spin Mop and Bucket. The stone floor in the kitchen constantly needs cleaning and these tools tackle the job perfectly.

It hasn’t been all housework and hard work though as in between some very enjoyable hours at QVC working alongside Davina McCall and Danni Minogue (the latter virtually), I escaped to the country and stayed with my sister Jenny. She and Linda live in a beautiful little cottage in Hampshire, not far from Winchester Hill, which is where we spent a fabulous afternoon in bright sunshine. It was quite a hike up there, but the hillfort right at the top is well worth the climb.

The earliest settlement was in the Bronze Age – around 3,800 years ago – which is when the series of flint and chalk covered burial mounds that still rise up from the ground were made. A thousand or so years later in the Iron Age a large defended settlement was built with a grass bank and ditch surrounding it and then a massive wooden fence created to protect the enclosures, houses and granaries that stood there. There’s a fantastic view from the top and although it was sunny it was very cold.

I was SO glad I’d worn my Cuddle Dudds fleece leggings otherwise I think my thighs would have frozen! The steaming cup of coffee we enjoyed afterwards was very welcome – even managed a bit of coffee art too! Mine was a Hare, and Linda had a Jenny Wren, which to be fair she did edit a little!

From Hampshire to Surrey, where later in the week I was once again lucky with the weather and enjoyed a lovely pub lunch in The White Horse at Shere with my friend Yo before heading out across the countryside in the sunshine. It’s the village where they filmed one of my favourite movies ‘The Holiday’ with Jude Law and Cameron Diaz, and the pub is the one featured in the film. We caught this gorgeous sunset as we drove out of the village and up the hill – just stunning!

It’s been great to have a little bit of an escape from the building works at home to be honest. While Colin’s been busy gutting the sitting room and dining room, I’ve been packing everything up into boxes – not just downstairs but upstairs also in readiness for the reconstruction there too.

We’ve lived here for over nine years and there have been quite a few cupboards that haven’t really been sorted in all that time, so long overdue! All the plumbing and electrics are being replaced before any of the structural work can be done, and downstairs the floors have to come up first before we can even begin on the upstairs renovation! It’s all go, and all in a terrible muddle but I’m reliably informed that progress is being made and it’ll all be worth it in the end

I’m on leave until the 6th February when I’ll be back at 9pm with a fabulous TSV from the fashion brand Finery! I’ve been wearing many of their dress designs on air over the last six months or so and am delighted to introduce you to the Edith midi length dress with long sleeves and a tiered gathered skirt. There are three exclusive and very subtle prints in a myriad of colours including black, navy, soft red, cobalt blue and purple. It’s not only elegant and eminently feminine, it’s also great value. I hope you can join me and order yours on Sunday.

Something else that will save you money and features a brand so many more of us are favouring at this time of year is Cozee Home. I would seriously be lost without my fleece sheets and sherpa bedcover since we have no heating in the house! Along with bedclothes, there are children’s and adults clothing plus a range for pets too and for the entire month of February, you can buy it all in three Easy Payments by using the code COZE3Z! Interest-free credit and hopefully items that will save you money on your heating too! To find out more about special deals and exclusive brands follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and I can keep you up to date that way. And do drop me a line here too if you’d like.

In the meantime, stay well and warm, and I do hope you enjoy the rest of the week. I’ll see you on Sunday evening!

With my love,

Ali xx

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As there was only one of these 15-in-1 cookers to give away, sadly there can only be one winner, but I’m delighted to tell you that Joanna Terry is now the proud owner of this fantastic and versatile product – well she will be once I’ve parceled it up and sorted the courier! I believe the first thing she plans to cook in it is a Real Ale beef stew, with buttered crusty bread which she’s going to serve to her entire family as they were all poorly over Christmas! CONGRATULATIONS Joanna.

As you’ll know from my previous blog, both Colin and I were also poorly over Christmas and had to cancel everything we had planned. On top of that in the last three weeks almost all the children have had Covid so we’ve not managed a separate get-together up until now.

But last Sunday we transformed the building site that used to be our sitting room, cleared away all the tools, strung up some fairy lights, lit the log burner and plugged in several fans so it was cosy before setting the table and bringing the remainder of the furniture in from the container.

We served a traditional roast turkey – the one I’d put in the freezer on Christmas Eve, and gammon, with all the trimmings, and successfully fed all 15 of us! It was an absolute joy to have everyone together and to see the little ones too, and we played daft games, listened to Christmas music, caught up with the family’s news and even exchanged the last of the presents – it was great fun.

I do hope if you had to postpone your celebrations, you’ll soon have the chance to get together, and that if you like so many others are feeling poorly that you’ll be better soon. It does seem that finally the numbers of people with Covid are dropping and the spread is slowing down so fingers crossed we may be through the worst of it now. Onwards and upwards!

Do keep in touch with me here or follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and thanks again for such a fabulous response to the competition.

With my love,

Ali xxx

The post And the winner is…! appeared first on Stories.

How were your Christmas and New Year festivities? I do hope they went to plan and that you managed to avoid Covid and all the restrictions? Unfortunately, Colin and I weren’t that lucky and having tested positive just prior to Christmas, all our celebrations that I wrote about in the previous blog were scuppered with both of us feeling pretty poorly for the best part of 11 days!

At least we had each other for company though and of course, plenty of food in the house, although we didn’t feel much like eating for the first week. I can imagine it was really heavy going for those on their own – and such a disappointment especially after last year. If that was the case for you then I have everything crossed that you will be able to see those you love in the not too distant and it will be all the sweeter for having waited.

I have heard that some folk feel nothing more than minor cold symptoms with Omicron but unfortunately, Colin got a rotten chest infection and we both had all the aches and pains and awful cough that were associated with the very first variation! We sounded like a couple of old boilers and felt very tired so we stayed in the warm and watched a great deal of TV!

TV talk

There were a couple of beautiful films we saw that I’d definitely recommend the first being ‘Summerland’ with Gemma Arterton who plays the reluctant carer of a young boy who’s been evacuated from London during the Blitz. Beautifully shot and very well acted, there is a tenderness and poignancy to it that I really enjoyed.

The other film starred Timothy Spall – The Last Bus – but be warned, you will definitely need something to wipe away the tears for this one. I loved the storytelling and it does have a happy ending but there’s a lot to take in – a cracking performance by Mr. Spall! We did watch a fair few comedy and quiz shows too but our ‘go to’ are the cookery programmes. We’re currently enjoying Rick Stein’s Cornwall and Colin is a huge fan of Masterchef.

Ready, steady, cook

Being home and not working has meant I’ve had more time to cook and made a fab soup from one of my many Gino De Campo recipe books – Zuppa Di Cipolle E Pancetta! An Italian version of Onion Soup – absolutely delicious and very easy to make using onions, chicken stock, tinned tomatoes and chopped pancetta. Dress with parmesan and fresh basil and serve with warm bread – it is SO tasty. If you don’t have any pancetta swap it out with smoked bacon. I’ve also made a spiced pea and leek soup but I’ll give you the recipe for that next time.

Competition time!

I think it’s probably a good juncture for me to tell you more about the very special prize I have safely stashed away from the supremely successful kitchen brand Ninja! It is their 7.5 litre capacity Ninja Foodie Max – a 15-in-1 Smart Lid Multi Cooker. It’s worth £300 but you could win it simply by telling me what would be the first thing you’d cook in it! And just in case you weren’t aware, this cooker will enable you to pressure cook, air fry, grill, bake, dehydrate, prove, sear/saute, steam, slow cook, steam meals, steam air fry, steam bake, steam bread, steam roast and even make yoghurt! You can serve up to six portions in one go and it cooks 70% faster than the more traditional methods. Think of the reduction in gas and electricity usage too? And, you do all this without needing to change the lid or controls!

We had it as a TSV some months back and it sold out by early afternoon. I’ve managed to get my hands on this sample and thought the competition would tie in rather nicely with our Winter Warmer feature on QVC – don’t just think fashion, there’s so much more on our website @qvcuk.com. Ninja will actually be featuring at the weekend with an impressive TSV but why wait?! You can take part now by telling me what you plan to cook in the comments box below – T&Cs available at qvcuk.com – and I’ll be making the draw this Friday 14th. GOOD LUCK!

Obviously having not been anywhere or seen anyone I don’t have many photographs to share this time, but I did get out for my first walk last Thursday, spotting my Hellebore Christmas Rose in the garden that is now in full bloom.

Roz and Chris bought it for me years ago and I hadn’t even realized it was there until I went outdoors. But I so enjoyed the fresh air and just look at the blue skies and the sunshine! It is absolutely my kind of happy and such a tonic for the soul. What do you do to lift the spirits and escape the world for a while?

Normally I’d be exercising indoors while the weather is bad on my cross trainer or the AeroPilates Reformer with the rebounder, but both are in the enormous container on our drive as we grind through the house refurb so I was so glad to have the chance to stretch my legs outdoors. I should alert you though as we currently have the AeroPilates 4 Cord Reformer 435 with the cardio rebounder and a full DVD Library on sale NOW for £449.95 – the first of 5 Easy Pay instalments just £89.99 – as opposed to the RRP of £600, saving you £241.10!

I started using my Reformer about five years ago and it has helped me enormously with core strength, flexibility, improved posture and tightening of the tummy muscles! Give yourself the chance to experience all it can do for you with our 60-day money back guarantee and we’ll pick it up if you decide not to keep it.

There’ll be more exercise opportunities on Saturday 22nd January when I will be joined by Davina McCall who has something rather special from her Fitness at Home range to help us all be our best selves! Hopefully, there are a few ideas here that you’ll make good use of. By the way, if you’ve not seen Davina in ‘The Language of Love’ that began last week on Channel 4, treat yourselves. It’s a really clever concept; interesting and highly entertaining to watch.

A Covid Christmas

Something that I am definitely going to be making good use of is our Christmas present from my son Sam and his girly Elise. This beautiful pottery is handmade by a lovely Frenchman called Marius Roux who owns and makes everything he sells in ‘Trecarne Pottery’ in Mullion, Cornwall. We discovered it the year before last when we went to Cornwall and I bought a few pieces. I really want to collect more and so I put it on my Christmas list. It was made to order and now has pride of place in my kitchen. I’m hoping to start a collection :).

We’re hoping to recreate Christmas lunch for the family in the next few weeks, as it’s been really sad not seeing everyone – particularly the grandchildren. I did though have a hilarious couple of hours FaceTiming Honey where we did everything together – drawing, playing Articulate (she’s really good at this) reading stories and even tidying her room! All remotely, bless her.

So, as we move full steam ahead into 2022 let’s hope that we’re through the worst of the Covid bugs and that we will have a healthier year to enjoy.

I’ll be back with my Diamonique Jewellery show at 8pm on Tuesday and then I have an hour with cosmetician Judith Williams at 10pm who will hopefully have a few of her Deluxe Life Long Beauty TSVs left that includes two supersizes and a brand new product! If your skin is a little more mature and needs some TLC then these original and active formulas which include sweet almond, rose and argan oils will give you all you need to cleanse (with a new product Cleansing Water), to hydrate, smooth and treat your skin. It’s perfectly timed for use during the colder weather, and extraordinary value at £42.98 plus p&p – if you bought it directly it would be £268! Save yourself over £220 and buy it while stocks last.

Take care, stay well, and don’t forget to enter the competition here or on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter! Someone’s going to be VERY lucky

With my love,
Ali X

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